‘DO GLUE GET YOU HIGH?’ and Other Teen Drug Questions, Answered

The best thing going on on the Internet right now: Researchers from the National Institute of Drug Abuse are answering high schoolers questions on a public chat board. It’s really informative actually, but reminds us exactly how stupid and ill-informed we were about drugs back in high school. Also, it’s hysterical, watching people with PhDs in drug research try to answer questions that you’d usually find on Yahoo message boards. Our favorite questions and answers below:

Sunshine, kittens, and meth scabs:

wonder women - Crossroads Academy, Georgia: is it true that when meth heads aint got money to make meth they eat ther on scabs to get the taste of methin there system ??

Dr. Steve Grant: EWWWW!!! I’ve not heard of that before, but it doesn’t make any sense to me. Meth makes people pick at their skin a lot, so they end up with a lot of scabs. Here is a blog we did about it (caution–it’s a little gross): http://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/meth-mouth-and-crank-bugs-meth-a-morphosis/. Meth also impairs the condition of the skin, so skin takes longer to heal. But scabs would contain little or no meth, so I seriously doubt that anyone would get high from eating scabs. OMG, I have got to get that image out of my head….gotta stop writing now and start thinking of sunshine and kittens.

Dr. Nancy Pilotte: This calls for a lot of speculation. I am not sure if many of the naturally-derived drugs that we see today, like cocaine or morphine, were actually used as medications in biblical times. But Jesus DID change water into wine at the wedding at Cana…and his mother asked him to do it.

Just…wow.

some guy – St. Henry District High School, Kentucky: can smoking a joint be a form of birth control
Dr.Ruben Baler: I am not aware of any evidence that suggests marijuana would be a viable mode of birth control.
thanks for the question.

I would like to see this become a weekly post, please. I find that these kids are asking the questions I would ask but am too ashamed..PLZ keep posting, Dr. Grant!!!!

klemme76

Alex S, if you are out there:
Smoking weed and eating shrooms at the SAME TIME would cause you to choke. HA! No, seriously: Smoking some bud a little before you eat shrooms for the first time is not a bad idea, in my opinion. Relaxes you a little bit, gets you in a good state of mind, which is key for shrooms. Anyway, having them both in your system at the same time does not increase their capacity to harm a person.
Basically, if you smoke weed right after eating shrooms, you are simply wasting the weed. The shrooms are taking over anyway. When you come down from that, some of the green will help you finally get some sleep.

god

I wanted to say the same thing about smoking after eating. Too bad some dumbass instead told kids the lie that they would die.

As for before and after, I’m a bit skeptical. Pot does not make me relaxed or sleepy, more alert if anything.

klemme76

By god: Yeah, I could qualify and say it depends on the specific strain and how you react individually… but meh. Either way, the answer given by the ´expert´ was terrible, it is clearly NOT a very dangerous experiment. Anyway, I noticed that I addressed my comment to Alex S, when the question was asked by Zack S. My bad, ´Zack S,´ (obvious pseudonym derived from the main Saved by the Bell dudes’ names.)

Drew Grant

i heard taking all the drugs at once was actually fine, but the government is COVERING IT UP

Eric

Without hijacking this thread, I just want to point out that “Do glue get you high?” is perfectly grammatical AAVE, and when myths like smoking banana peels are so common, asking about the possible effects of glue inhalation (I mean, really, glue?? Like Elmer’s? Seems so implausible) seems like a risk-free way for tweens and teens to have their curiosity satisfied.